by L. P. Dover
“Whoa, what’s going on? Why are you crying? Did Dominic do something?”
“No,” I cried, keeping my voice low. “I don’t have much time. Cadoc called me tonight and we met. I thought I could stand up to him, but I think I screwed up.”
“Holy shit, Faith. What the hell have you been doing out there?” Layla didn’t know about the fights and I didn’t want to be the one to tell her.
“I met Cadoc at the gala. He’s been showing interest in me since, and tonight, he called and wanted to meet about a business proposition.”
“Dammit, Faith, you should’ve said no,” Layla snapped.
I huffed. “I know, but you know how stubborn I am. Long story short he wants to buy out Philip’s part of the practice and get his nephew in there. He wants us to work together.”
Layla sighed. “He makes it sound so simple. Have you met his nephew?”
Chills ran down my spine. “Yes. Cadoc said he’s attracted to me.”
“Oh, for love of God, that’s not good,” she groaned.
I was in deeper shit than I thought. “What do I do?”
“For starters, don’t say anything to Dom yet. It’ll start an all out war. What you need to do is call Philip. You can’t let him sell to Cadoc.”
After getting the restraining order on Philip and taking everything away from him, I could see him selling to Cadoc out of spite. “What if he does? I’ll be leaving my hard work in the hands of the Cartwrights. Do you know how heartbreaking that is?”
“I know,” Layla said, her voice sad, “but there’s no other option. You’ll have to let it go.”
Unfortunately, she was right. I had a feeling that was what I’d have to do. “All right. I’m going to call Philip. Let’s keep all of this between us for now.”
“Will do. Keep me updated.”
We hung up and I immediately called Philip’s number. It rang and rang, but no answer. I called him over and over again, and still nothing. “Dammit,” I hissed, calling one last time. When he didn’t answer, I left a message after the beep. “Philip, it’s me. This is really important. You’re going to be approached by a man named Cadoc Cartwright to sell your half of the practice. Don’t do it. You have to trust me in this. Call me back.”
I was so angry and terrified I could cry. I shut off the bedroom light, leaving the bathroom light on so it wouldn’t be so dark. The bed welcomed me so I curled up and hugged Dominic’s pillow; it smelled just like him. Closing my eyes, I breathed in his scent, trying to keep from hyperventilating. Eventually, my breathing slowed and I was about to fall asleep when the sound of someone at the door jerked me awake.
Heart racing, I sat up quickly and grabbed my chest. Dominic held up his hands. “It’s just me. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I blew out a sigh. “Sorry. Guess I’m a little on edge.”
He loosened his tie and sat down on the bed. “So am I.”
Something was wrong. Sliding up to his side, I leaned my head against his shoulder. All I wanted was to be close to him. “Did you lose the fight?”
He kissed the top of my head and stood. “No, we won. I didn’t really feel like celebrating.” The muscles in his jaw clenched as he unbuttoned his shirt. He was angry.
“Why not?” I asked, my voice low. I didn’t know if he’d spoken to Cadoc or not. If Cadoc had told him about me, he would’ve stormed into the bedroom. It killed me keeping that secret from him.
Dominic ripped off his shirt and sat back down on the bed. “I wanted to be here with you.” His eyes met mine and I shivered. The look in them was so raw and tense. I’d never seen him like that before.
“What happened Dominic?”
He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter.”
Grabbing his hands, I squeezed them as hard as I could. “Yes, it does. You’re pissed and it’s starting to scare me. Did you see Cadoc?”
A deep growl erupted from his chest. He tossed his shirt across the room. “I hate that fucker and his cunt of a nephew.”
My heart stopped and I froze. “What did they say?”
The anger poured off of him. He paced the floor and ran a hand angrily through his hair. It definitely wasn’t the time to tell him the truth. Layla was right; he’d start a war. Dominic slammed his fists against the wall. “He wants you, Faith,” he hissed, hitting the wall again. “It’s Will, not Cadoc. He basically threw it in my face how he was going to have you.”
“Hey,” I said, pulling him away from the wall. “That’s not gonna happen.” His skin was on fire it was so hot. I pushed him onto the bed, and knelt down in front of him.
“You’ve met him, haven’t you?” he asked.
I nodded. “The fight last weekend. Cadoc introduced us.”
Dominic shut his eyes. “That’s all it took. Every time my mind wanders, I can see him touching you. It’s driving me in-fucking-sane.”
His knuckles were white from clenching his fists so hard so I gently tried loosening them. It took a few seconds, but then Dominic released them. “I know this is hard for you, Dominic. Getting angry isn’t going to solve it.”
“I want to kill them,” he growled, keeping his eyes closed. “They’ll come for you.”
“Right now, they’re coming between us. That’s what they want. From what I know of the Cartwrights they’re going to try and sabotage what we have.”
Blowing out a heavy sigh, he opened his eyes and peered down at me. “You’re right. I can’t let them come between us. What can I do to turn this night around?”
With a sly smile, I licked my lips and ran my hands over his groin. His cock jumped at my touch. “Make love to me, fuck me, do whatever the hell you want. I just want you to be with me. Trust me, I need this just as much as you.”
Eyes darkening, he gripped my arms and lifted me to my feet. He wasted no time in ripping off my pants and tearing off my shirt, then getting to his feet and doing the same with the rest of his clothes. Once he sat back down on the bed, he grabbed my ass and made me sit on his lap, his dick nestled between my legs.
“I don’t think you know what you’re asking of me, Faith. I’m pissed off and angry, but I’m also fucking turned on. It’s a lethal combination and the last thing I want to do is hurt or scare you.”
“Oh, I don’t know . . . I think I’m ready for what you got,” I teased, playfully squeezing the bulging tip of his cock.
Jerking into my hand, he tilted my body back and roughly closed his lips over a nipple, sucking hard. The stubble on his chin started to rub me raw. When he bit down, I cried out and rocked my hips against his length.
His fingers dug into my hips as he lifted me up and slammed me down. Once he was fully seated within me, he lifted me up and pushed me down onto him over and over. My movements weren’t my own. I was in his control and I fucking loved it. Even with me on top, he dominated and took what he wanted. Fisting his hands in my hair, he tilted my head back and bit my neck, marking me.
“Oh, yes. Dominic . . .”
His low rumble of satisfaction vibrated down to my core. I was so close to orgasm I could barely think straight. Over and over he dropped me down on his cock with punishing force. He licked and sucked my nipples, pulling them with his teeth. Wrapping an arm around his neck, I arched my back to give him better access. Reaching behind my ass, I cupped his balls, massaging them.
“Holy fuck, I’m going to come,” he growled, shortening his thrusts. Grunting, he pulled my body into his and dropped his head down to watch where we were connected.
Screaming with pleasure, I sat down on him as far as I could go. He groaned and squeezed me tight, but I kept my finger pushing down on him as I rode wave after wave of my release. It all intensified when I felt him blast inside of me. I loved the feel of his cock pulsating. Catching my breath, I let my head fall to his shoulder while his fingers loosened on my waist.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” I marveled.
Brushing my hair to the side, he gently kissed my neck and wrapped
his arms around my waist. “I don’t want to lose you. I’m so afraid something’s going to happen.”
The answer was simple, all he needed was to see it. Still connected, I gently sat back. He let me go and looked up into my eyes. “There’s something I need to ask you,” I said, feeling nervous.
His eyes softened. “What is it?”
“You’ve never said this to me, but Layla told me you did to Bryce. I want to hear it from you.” He nodded for me to continue, but I was so afraid to hear his answer. Swallowing hard, I kept my eyes on his. “Did you tell Bryce that as soon as you’re done with your business here you’ll leave it all behind?”
Dominic sighed and closed his eyes. “I did.”
“Was it the truth?”
When he opened his eyes, I saw his answer. He shook his head and cupped my cheek. “No, it wasn’t. I lied to him. I told him what he needed to hear.”
My eyes burned and everything came crashing down. I’d tried playing the game with Cadoc but it was too much. I was in way over my head. “Is this seriously the kind of life you want? I don’t think I can handle it. It’s nothing but constant power struggles and deceit. I don’t want to live my life scared to death that something’s going to happen to you.” The tears fell down my cheeks. “I’d rather die than be taken by the Cartwrights.”
I tried to move away from him, but he held me firm. “You’re not going anywhere until you hear me out. Look at me.” I didn’t want him to see me cry, but he lifted my chin. “Look at me, Faith,” he murmured, his voice softer. I did as he said and he wiped my tears away. “Yes. I lied to Bryce so he’d get me the help I needed. I had no plans to leave this life behind.”
“What changed?”
He brushed the hair off my face. “You. I thought we could have a future here, but it’s not safe for you.” He kissed me, slow and hard and then rested his forehead to mine. “I would rather have you in my life than the power. I didn’t give a shit about the money I won tonight. All that mattered was getting back up here to you. That’s what I want. Just you.”
By now the tears had come on full blast. Dominic kissed me again and laughed. “Isn’t that what you want?”
“Yes,” I cried, flinging my arms around his neck. “I was so afraid you’d choose the power over me.”
He shook his head. “Never. I love you, Faith.”
Hearing those words made me smile, but even more so, it made me realize how much I loved him. After Philip screwed me over, I never thought I’d open myself up to love again. “I love you too,” I whispered, holding him tight.
“Starting tomorrow things are going to change. Soon, all this shit will be behind us. You just need to decide where we’re going to go.”
Relief washed over me and I squealed. I knew exactly where that was going to be. “Hope you’re ready to buy a cowboy hat and boots,” I teased. “Wyoming it is.”
Dominic groaned, but kept a smile on his face. “How did I know. At least it’ll make my mother and sister happy.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “It’ll be a new beginning for both of us.” His smile faded slightly and I could see the concern on his face. He’d lived his life a certain way for so long. Changing was never easy.
“I think it’s time I sell the estate. Do you want to go with me there tomorrow? I want to see it one last time.”
“Of course. I haven’t been there since Layla took me.”
He scoffed. “Neither have I. It’ll be strange.”
Cupping his face in my hands, I kissed him. “It won’t be easy, but you can do this. We’re in this together.”
He held me tight. “Always.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Faith
Dominic’s estate was like a castle you’d see in a fairytale. It was where he and Layla grew up. There were even hidden passageways all throughout the house. Layla had used them to sneak out when she was younger. I’d always dreamt of having a house like theirs with a ton of land and horses. But growing up on the beach was enough for me. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Dominic’s land stretched as far as you could see. The driveway alone was about a quarter mile. He had guest houses where Francis and some of his other employees used to live. With his father being gone, Dominic had let everyone go except for Francis. He walked me through the house, but we stayed far away from his father’s rooms. It was as if there was a chill in the air when you got close. I could see why Dominic never wanted to visit. It was a good thing his rooms were on the opposite side of the house.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cook anything,” I teased, watching Dominic salt and pepper our steaks. It was pretty damn sexy seeing him shirtless with only a pair of shorts on. I missed the way he was in Aruba. Even though we were in a place that had a ton of bad memories, there was still a level of ease about him I’d never seen while in the city.
Chuckling, he glanced at me over his shoulder and winked. “Believe it or not, I’m a master on the grill.”
Gazing at him skeptically, I chopped up the rest of the carrots and tossed them in the salad bowl. “Oh yeah? I thought Francis did all of your cooking.”
Dominic picked up the plate of steaks and faced me. “You’ll see.” He winked again and took the steaks outside to the grill.
Grabbing my phone, I called Philip again for the fiftieth time. During the night while Dominic slept, I snuck away to another room to call him. I thought for sure he’d answer eventually, but nothing. I was afraid Cadoc had already gotten to him. If Philip sold his half, I was going to kill him. When he didn’t answer, I slammed my phone down on the counter. Just then, a text came in from Layla.
Layla: Hey! Have you tried the secret passageways out yet?
I had, but I didn’t have time to talk about that. Instead of texting, I called her back. “Hey,” she answered. “What’s up?”
I peeked out the window at Dominic who was putting the steaks on the grill. “I can’t get a hold of Philip,” I huffed. “I’ve literally called fifty times.”
Layla sighed. “Seriously? What the hell?”
“I know.”
“Where’s my brother?” she asked quickly.
Glancing out the window, he was still by the grill. “Cooking our steaks. Why?”
“Call Reed. He’ll be able to track down Philip. Tell him what’s going on. And I mean everything that’s going on. If Cartwright does anything remotely scandalous, they can bust his ass. It’ll get him away from you and the firm will be safe.”
She had a point, a very good one at that. My only problem was telling Reed, and then Dominic finding out. They’d never forgive me for going behind their backs. Also, Dominic would blame Reed because it was under his watch that I slipped away to meet Cadoc in the first place.
“Fine,” I gave in, “I’ll call Reed. He’s going to be so pissed at me.”
She snorted. “Serves you right. Never in my right mind would I have ever met any of the Cartwrights by myself.”
It was stupid and I was thankful nothing had physically happened to me. Just the thought sent chills down my spine. “All right, if I’m going to call Reed, I need to do it now. Don’t know how much time I have.” Dominic was on his phone, sitting at one of the patio tables. My back dripped with sweat. With everything going on it was going to give me a heart attack.
“Call me back if you have time,” Layla ordered.
We hung up and I immediately called Reed. The phone rang a couple of times and my impatience grew. “Hey,” he answered after another ring.
“Oh, thank God,” I gasped. “I don’t have a lot of time.”
“What’s wrong?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Whatever you do, don’t get mad at me. You can save all of that for later. Right now, I need your help.”
“Fuck me,” he grumbled. “Tell me everything.”
Opening my eyes, I looked out the window and Dominic was still out there. “First off, I need you to find Philip. I’ve been trying to call him, but h
e won’t answer.”
He growled. “Why the hell are you trying to talk to him?”
Here we go. “Because Cadoc wants to buy out his half of the firm,” I explained, “If Philip sells, I’ll be stuck dealing with the Cartwrights. I refuse to let that family sabotage what I spent years building.”
“Hold on,” Reed snapped, “how do you know all of this? That’s the question I want to know.”
Groaning, I leaned back against the kitchen counter. “Cadoc contacted me and asked if I’d work with his nephew if they were to buy out Philip’s half.”
Reed scoffed. “What the fuck? He actually called you?”
“Yes,” I said, figuring it was best to leave it at that. He didn’t need to know that I really met Cadoc in person. I could save that for a later time. “And when I told him no, he said I’d made a big mistake, that what happened next would be my fault.”
“My God, Faith. This is some serious shit.”
My eyes burned. “I know. Please tell me you can help me.”
He sighed. “I’ll find Philip, don’t worry. In the meantime, don’t talk to the fucking Cartwrights.”
“I won’t,” I agreed, feeling relieved. I’d planned on staying the hell away from them.
“They won’t get your firm,” Reed promised. “One way or another, they’ll get taken down before that happens.”
“Thanks, Reed. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m assuming this is to stay between us?”
“Yes,” I gasped. “At least for now.”
“All right,” he replied, sounding not too happy. “I’ll call you as soon as I find out something.” We hung up and it felt like all the weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Reed would be able to find him; I had no doubt. At least, I hoped and prayed he could.
***
“Faith, you okay?” Dominic asked.
He squeezed my hand and I squeezed back. “Of course,” I said, peering up at him. “It’s a beautiful Monday afternoon and we’re out for a walk. What could be more perfect than that?” The realtor had come by and taken all the pictures they needed to put the estate up for sale. I had no doubt it’d be sold within the week. We were about to leave the place for good, but Dominic wanted to take one last walk around the house. He’d planned on keeping The Chateaux Hotel but shutting down the pit. It was the best news I’d heard all day.
